Electric controller.



No. 686,349. Patented Nov. 12, l90l. G. J. SCOTT.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

(Application ma Jan. 22, 1901. (No llodol.) 2 Sheets-Shaet I,

ii\\\ lllm mas WITNESSES IN VE N T05 m: wams pzrzns ca. woro umn. WASHINGTON, n. c

No. 686,349. Patented Nov. l2, l90l. G. J. SCOTT. ELECTRIC CONTROLLER,

(Application filed Jan. 22, 1901.

(No Model.)

nv VENTOR ATTORNEY z. 9 m i w. M M W S I 2 Z I 0 3 Q0 0 2 m 6 E i I 0 f 3 E m 2 T m m m9 t a c 3 5 v 3 5 "I 9 J i 1 4 J i d E W m z ghfim '4 0/5 X x @6 Q6 o0 EN? T WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GORDON JOHN SCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM S. JANNEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,349, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed January 22,1901- Serial No. 44,265. (No model.)

To all whom it may OO Fig. 2 is a similar view enlarged, the front of Be it known that I, GORDON JOHN SCOTT, the box or casing having been removed to exa citizen of the United States, residing at the pose the internal mechanism. Fig. 3 is a city and county of Philadelphia and State of vertical section as on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Pennsylvania,haveinvented certain new and Fig. 4 is a transverse section as on the line 55 useful Improvementsin Electric Controllers, 4 at of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of of which the following is a full, clear, and the movable contact or brush, showing a porcxact description, reference being had to the .tion of the stationary contact-strip on which accompanying drawings, forming a part of it slides. Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams illus- [0 this specification. trating the contact devices with electrical 60 This invention relates to controllers or connections therefor. switches for electrical circuits, my object be- 1 designates a box or casing of suitable ing to provide a structure combining simshape and size for its intended purpose. plicity and durability of construction with Within this box, at one side thereof, is discase and efficiency of operation. According posed a strip 2, of insulating material, the 65 to my invention the number of contacts emsame being bolted to a rib 5 on the side of ployed is reduced to a minimum and the conthe boX. .To this strip are bolted or otherstruction and operation of the mechanism are Wise fixedly secured at intervals apart a sesuch that upon the breaking of the contacts ries of contact-clips 6-in the prcsentinstance or connections all liability of arcs with the three-between which are or may be disposed 7o attendant burning out and pitting of the consuitable resistances, as indicated at 5 in Fig. tacts is obviated. 6. One or more of said clips are electrically In the present embodiment of myinvention connected directly or indirectly with an eleca series of contact-clips are afiixed to a statric circuit 7 under the control of the appationary insulating-support on one side of the ratus. At the opposite side of the box is sup- 75 supporting box or frame and astationary conported in parallelism with the strip 2 a bar 8, tact-strip is arranged on the opposite side of of insulating material, the ends of which may the latter. Between the row of clips and the be secured to lugs 9 at the top and bottom, contact-strip is mounted a movable contact respectively, of the box. Upon each side of or brush which is'designed to coact therewith this strip and flush therewith is aflixed an 80 to make the requisite connection or counecelongated contact-strip 10, thatextends above tions and establish the circuit or circuits. and below the series of contact-clips referred This movable contact or brush is constructed to and is electrically connected with the said and arranged to make contact with each succircuit, to the end that if electric contact ceeding contact-clip before breaking contact be made and broken between the strip and 85 with the preceding contact-clip, and at the the respective contact-clips the circuit will same time to remain in continuous contact be correspondingly controlled thereby, the with the stationary contact-strip. Hence its force of the current being influenced by the connection with both the contact-strip and particular clip with which contact may be 40 the contact-clips is continuous after the first made. 90 connection has been established, although A movable contact or brush, as 11, is adapteach contact-clip may have a different funced to be moved in respect to the strips 10 and tion to perform. Such functions may be both the row of clips 6 in a manner to establish or dependent and independent, as the moving break the circuit or circuits, as desired.

contact may play on any two or only upon This movable contact is constructed and ar- 5 one of the contact-clips. Thus it is possible ranged to make contact with each succeedto pass from one condition to another withing contact-clip 6 before it breaks contact out any very sudden changes. with the preceding contact on one side and In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevaat the same time to remain in continuous tion of a controllerembodying myinvention. Hence it is possiwe contact with the strips 10.

ble to pass from one condition to another without sudden change, thereby obviating all liability of arcs with the attendant burning out and pitting of the contacts. Moreover, the number of contacts required is reduced to a minimum, in that the resistance to the current may be nicely regulated by engaging the movable contact or brush with a greater or less portion of the surface of each of two adjoining contacts.

Instead of the contact-clips being connected by resistants, as indicated in Fig. 6, each of such clips may be electrically connected with separate and independent circuits, as indicated in Fig. '7, having arranged therein and influenced thereby translating devices operative dependently upon or independently of each other.

In the present construction the movable contact or brush is attached, through an insulating-piece 12, to an endless carrier, as the sprocket-chain 13, passing around appropriate wheels 14, mounted on stud-shafts 15 at the respective ends of the casing. The hub 16 of the upper wheel extends through an aperture in the front of the casing and is provided in its outer end with suitably-arranged sockets 17 for the reception of later ally-projecting studs 18 on a handle 19. It will be seen that by properly turning this handle the upper sprocket-wheel will be correspondingly rotated in a manner to impel the chain and the contact-brush thereon, the degree of rotation determining the position of said brush in respect to the several contacts.

The particular movable contact or brush herein shown comprises a block 20, embracing snugly the strips 10, so as to be movable vertically in sliding contact therewith, two spring-arms 21 on said block carrying opposiug jaws 22, in which carbon blocks 23 are held in position to yieldingly receive and embrace the contact-cli'ps 6 in their path. Preferably there is fitted to an aperture in one side of the block 20 a cylindrical piece of carbon 24 or the like, which is held yieldingly in contact with the opposing strip 10 by the pressure of a suitable spring, such as the M- spring 25, secured to said block, whereby wear of the opposing surfaces is compensated for and proper electrical contact between the brush and the strip constantly insured.

The above-described controller has been es pecially though not exclusively designed for use in connection with a system of electric propulsion for railway and other cars.

1. In an electric controller, the combination with a support, of a series of contacts thereon, an elongated contact-strip parallel therewith, a movable brush adapted to coact with the said strip and contacts, an endless carrier on which said brush is mounted, supporting-wheels for said carrier, and means for actuating the same, substantially as described.

2. In an electric controller, the combination with a support, of a series of contacts thereon, an elongated contact-strip parallel therewith, a movable brush adapted to coact with the said strip and contacts, a sprocket-chain on which said brush is mounted, supportingwheels for said chain, and means for actuating the same, substantially as described.

3. In an electric controller, the combination with a support, of a series of contacts there on, an elongated contact-strip parallel therewith, a movable brush adapted to coact with said strip and contacts, said brush comprising a block movable along said strip, and spring-arms extending from said block provided with jaws containing carbon or the like adapted to receive and embrace said contacts, and means for supporting and operating said brush, substantially as described.

4. In an electric controller, the combination with a support, of a seriesof contacts thereon, an elongated contact-strip parallel therewith, a movable brush adapted to coact with said strip and contacts, said brush comprising a block movable along said strip, a springpressed contact-piece arranged in said block and adapted to yieldingly engage said strip, and spring-arms extending from said block and provided with jaws containing carbon or the like adapted to receive and embrace said contacts, and means for supporting and operating said brush, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GORDON JOHN SCOTT.

Witnesses:

ANDREW V. GRoUPE, JOHN R. NOLAN. 

